VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA Office of the National Chaplain Taps May/June 2015 LARRY ADLER – Died Saturday, March 21, 2015 in Oakland Gardens, New York at the age of 68. The cause of death is unknown. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a Life Member of Vietnam Veterans of America – Whitestone Chapter #32. He was interred in Calverton National Cemetery. ROBERT DEAN ALBRACHT - Died unexpectedly Friday, February 6, 2015 at Unity Point Health-Trinity, Rock Island, Illinois at the age of 71. He was a resident of Rock Island. The cause of death is unknown. He was born September 26, 1943, eldest son of the late Germaine and Leander Albracht of Rock Island. He graduated from Alleman High School in 1961, and, after serving an extended tour of duty in Vietnam with the United States Army, graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1976. He married Nanette Sheley of Moline on August 14, 1971, and they had 4 children. He worked as a Civil Engineer for more than 20 years, primarily with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Arsenal Island. Bob continued to serve his country in the United States Army Reserve. He then made a career change and joined the St. Louis Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Criminal Intelligence Officer. Bob retired from the DEA after being recalled to active military duty following the attacks on September 11. As a U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division (CID) Special Agent, he was sent to the Pentagon crash site where he performed evidence recovery and forensics duty. Thereafter, he was assigned to a protection detail for the Secretary of Defense and the U.S. Army Joint Chiefs of Staff. He then led a Drug Suppression Team at Ft. Stewart, Georgia, where he was recognized for his outstanding performance. With over 35 years of civilian and military service to the United States, his career spanned oversight of the Mississippi River Lock and Dam systems, working fraud investigations, counterintelligence, and contract security work with his brother Bill. Bob still found time to serve his local community as a Reserve Police Sergeant with the Rock Island Auxiliary Police Force. Bob served with the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam and wore his green beret with pride. He was a combat-decorated veteran with 22 years of service to our country and was the recipient of two Bronze Stars (one for Combat Valor), two Army commendations (one for Combat Valor), the Combat Infantryman's Badge, and numerous other awards and decorations. In recent years, Bob had become active Life Member of Vietnam Veterans of America – Quad Cities Chapter #299, and served as its Secretary. In his retirement, Bob spent his time travelling with Nanette, working out at the Arsenal, restoring his (still incomplete) 1973 Firebird, guiding his sons in home improvement projects, and tirelessly renovating his home - a still unfinished project 31 years in the works. Above all else in his life, he was a devoted family man and friend and spent most of his time with Nanette doting on their adoring kids and 6 grandchildren. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 43 years, Nanette; daughter and son-in-law Danielle Albracht and Edward Jack (UK); sons and daughters- in-law Brandon and Ashley Albracht (Davenport) and Jerad and Elizabeth Albracht (Madison, WI); grandchildren Molly, Natalie, Kellan, Shay, Erin and Trent; sister and brother-in-law Nancy and Paul Fischer (Rock Island); brother and sister-in-law William and Mary Albracht (Moline); brother and sister-in-law Donald and Beth Albracht (Overland Park, KS); brother-in-law Jeff Hicock (Rock Island); sisters-in-law Nancy Michalski (Moline) and Ann Sheley (Rock Island); numerous nieces and nephews; a large, loving, extended family and friends too numerous to count. He was preceded in death by his parents, his infant son Grant Michael, his sister Mary Beth Hicock and his brother-in-law John (Jack) Sheley. Visitation was held from 3:00-7:00 PM on Tuesday, February 10th at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home in Rock Island. Funeral mass was held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, February 11th at Saint Pius X Catholic Church, Rock Island. Burial was at the Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island, with Military Honors by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #299. Memorials may be made to the family for a memorial fund to be established at a later date. JON R. ALEXANDER (USAF, LTC-Ret.) - Died Wednesday, December 31, 2014, surrounded by his wife, Trish, and twin sons, Jim and Steve Alexander. He was 70 years of age and a resident of The Villages, Florida. The cause of death is unknown. He was born in Buffalo, New York on December 16, 1944 to the late Glenn and Bertina Alexander. After graduation from the University of Alabama in 1966, Jon followed his father's footsteps in to the United States Air Force and entered Navigator Training. After a deployment to Vietnam in the C-130 Hercules, where he earned a Distinguished Flying Cross and was awarded a Purple Heart, Jon attended Pilot Training and completed a second Vietnam tour flying the T-39. Also a veteran of the Cold War, Jon flew F-4 Phantoms for the remainder of his career, earning a second Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism in 1983. After retiring from the Air Force, Jon flew the B-727 for FedEx until his second, and last, retirement in 2004. Jon and Trish relocated to The Villages, FL, in 2005 where he spent the remainder of his days playing golf, enjoying evenings at the town square, neighborhood parties, and planning visits with his six grandchildren. Jon was a member of The Retired Officers Association, the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, the Saber Society, and numerous other professional organizations. He was a member of Vietnam Veterans of America – Oxford Chapter #1036. He was preceded in death by his father, Col Glenn R. Alexander, USAF, Ret., his mother, Bertina Alexander, and his beloved brother CPT James E. Alexander, USAF. He is survived by wife, Trish, sons Lt Col James R. Alexander, USAF and Lt Col Steven S. Alexander, USAF, brother Lt Col Steven R. Alexander, USA, Ret., and six Grandchildren. Viewing services were held at the Shrine of Remembrance, Colorado Springs, Colorado on Sunday, January 11, 2015, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Memorial services were held on Monday, January 12th, at 10:00 AM at the Shrine of Remembrance. Interment was at the United States Air Force Academy. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a small donation be made to the River Rats MIA/KIA Scholarship Fund, c/o Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, www.River-Rats.org. ROBERT DONN “Bob” ALHOUSE (USA, COL.-Ret.) – Died Saturday, February 7, 2015 in The Villages, Florida at the age of 79. The cause of death was lung cancer. He was born in Queens, New York and after attending Georgia Tech enlisted in the United States Army in 1957. He served with distinction for 31 years before retiring with the rank of Colonel. His duty saw him stationed around the world, including two combat tours in Vietnam and accompanied by his family for tours in Germany, Ethiopia and Korea. He was a Life Member of Vietnam Veterans of America – Oxford Chapter #1036. He happily retired to Florida to pursue his passion for golf and enjoyed every minute of it. He is survived by Maureen, his wife of 57 years, sons Robert Jr. (Patricia), of Atlanta; Steven (Michele), of Colorado Springs, Co. and daughter Regina Yocum (Jeff), of Prince George, Virginia. He will be dearly missed by six grandchildren and one great granddaughter. The family received friends and guests on Tuesday, February 10th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Banks/Page-Theus Funeral Home in Wildwood, Florida. Services were at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, February 11th at Community United Methodist Church in Fruitland Park, Florida with interment at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. In lieu of flowers the family wishes for donations to be made to The Wounded Warrior Project or the Community United Methodist Church in Fruitland Park. ANTHONY AUGUSTINE “Tony” ALVAREZ, SR. - Died Monday, May 27, 2013 in Orosi, California at the age of 63. The cause of death was suicide, a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was born July 17, 1949. He was a Supervisor. Anthony Alvarez, the California man suspected of shooting two of his adult daughters, killing one, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Vietnam as a United States Marine, the man's son said on Tuesday. Alvarez, Sr. was diagnosed with the disorder several years ago at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Palo Alto, his son Anthony Alvarez, Jr. told the Fresno Bee. The son told the newspaper that his mother's death last year and the PTSD might have been too much for his father to bear. The elder Alvarez's wife, Christine Mary Alvarez, died in January 2012, according to an obituary in the Visalia Times- Delta. Authorities say Alvarez Sr. shot and killed 37-year-old Jennifer Kimble and wounded 33- year-old Valerie Alvarez before apparently taking his life on Monday at their home in Orosi, a Central Valley town of about 9,000 about 20 miles southeast of Fresno. Valerie Alvarez has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, Alvarez, Jr. said. As of Wednesday, Valerie Alvarez remained in the Fresno hospital in critical condition, Community Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Mary Lisa Russell said.